Jose Cura, the sexy singer who made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera last week, isn’t surprised that fans think he is far wealthier than he is.

“A lot of fans have the wrong idea of how much an artist collects at the end of the month,” he said. “In the opera world, there is scale pay unless you hit the really, really big time.”

Despite his astounding and well-received New York performances last week – he appears tomorrow night in Mascagni’s passionate “Cavalleria Rusticana” – Cura insists his existence is far from luxurious.

“I am enjoying a nice lifestyle,” the Argentine told The Post, “but I still am not rich. I will have to work very hard to become very rich.” Besides the career for which he is best known – opera singer – Cura is also an accomplished composer and conductor. He is also a professional art photographer, with two books of his photographs slated to be published next year.

He sings publicly about 60 nights per year, pulling in, on average, $15,000 per gig. That adds up to $900,000 per year and could go much higher as more opera companies around the world book the sultry star, who attracts legions of adoring female fans.

Royalties from his songwriting and photography also provide a small stream of income. But, Cura says, about 90 percent of his income goes to pay down debts from when he was young, and current living expenses and taxes.

He says he squirrels away $90,000 per year to save for the future, which includes educating his three children.

But he dreams of a Jose Cura business, which would incorporate all of his musical and photographic interests. “My life goal is not just to cash my check after each performance and put it in the bank so that 20 years from now I can be in the Bahamas with my feet in the water,” he said.

“I want to build a lasting business, centered on my interests but expanding into directions I haven’t even had a chance to think about yet. I think that’s my legacy.”